The Effectiveness of Phonics-Based Multi-Modal Instruction on English Language Connected Speech Perception in Chinese EFL Children / Eficacia de la enseñanza multimodal basada en la fonética en la percepción del discurso continuo de los alumnos chinos de inglés como lengua extranjera (ILE)

This study investigates the efficacy of a phonics-based intervention in improving connected speech perception among Chinese elementary school children learning English as a foreign language (EFL). While prior research has largely focused on adult learners and emphasized rule extraction through abstractionist models, this study employs a hybrid model that integrates both abstractionist and exemplar-based methodologies. Over a five-week period, 68 fifth-grade students participated in classroom interventions designed to enhance their connected speech perception skills through structured training and comprehensive linguistic input. Results demonstrate significant improvements in connected speech perception across most types of connected speech processes, with the exception of elision, which exhibited the lowest accuracy rates and no significant improvement post intervention. These findings suggest that phonics-based multi-modal instruction effectively supports the development of connected speech perception in young learners and highlight the need for future instruction to focus on enhancing children’s ability to flexibly process various phonological cues, particularly in challenging areas such as elision.